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Topic: Crossfit Vs Bodybuilding (Read 40098 times)

I've been going to the gym for over a year now. All I've been doing lately is lifting weights and trying to gain muscle mass. I've been taking after the "bodybuilder" type workouts. You know, the ones that target very specific muscles with sometimes unnatural workouts..

Lately I've been wondering about implementing Crossfit into my paleo diet. I've been told that Crossfit focuses on "functional" workouts, which means working out in ways that we may do in real life; such as pushing, pulling, and throwing. I did some further research and determined that Crossfit may just be EXACTLY what I've been looking for!

The main downside is I don't usually see "ripped" people doing Crossfit, yet I hear you get much more active from doing it, since it combines the cardio aspect with bodybuilding.

I want to get everyone's thoughts on this and whether I should stick to "bodybuilding" workouts or switching over to Crossfit? Has anybody been doing Crossfit and had positive experiences they could share with me? Has anyone done bodybuilding AND Crossfit and can tell me which one they prefer? Thanks!!!

The main downside is I don't usually see "ripped" people doing Crossfit

My lord, youve been looking in the wrong places. To expand, ive done the "old school" bodybuilding method most of my life with decent result. Nine months ago I switched to crossfit/olympic lifting, and never had results like this. Ive lost 35 lbs (at least) and am in better shape than ive ever been in. Of course our friend the paleo diet had alot to do with it. Crossfit isnt for everyone, and thats fine. It works for me.

Hey bud. There's no shortage of Push/Pull standard "bodybuilding" programs, but yes you could also use rope and people as your weight at a local Crossfit "box". I think Crossfit, at this point, is "overbought" as they say on Wall Street, but it of course can be used effectively as well (like any program) depending on your nutrition, intensity, dedication, genetics, etc.

"The main downside is I don't usually see "ripped" people doing Crossfit"

Is this a joke? I don't do Crossfit myself, but just search on Crossfit Games on Youtube if you want to see some amazingly ripped and strong people, including plenty of Crossfit women who stronger and more ripped than most men.

While I do know plenty of ripped Crossfit folks locally, I do have to say a good portion of the folks on the Crossfit games didn't get that way from doing Crossfit. They picked it up as a sport when they were already beasts.

"The main downside is I don't usually see "ripped" people doing Crossfit"

Is this a joke? I don't do Crossfit myself, but just search on Crossfit Games on Youtube if you want to see some amazingly ripped and strong people, including plenty of Crossfit women who stronger and more ripped than most men.

Yeah, Crossfit GAMES. Best of the best. Mr. Universe is also 400 pounds of pure muscle. If you're going to take it to the "extreme", and ONLY look at people that do Crossfit for 4 hours a day, then yes, they are ripped.

I'm talking about generic Crossfitters, not YouTube sensations I have been to 8 gyms in my area and have not seen more than 2 people that look "ripped". I think you missed the point of this topic. I'm simply looking from advice from people who have done it and actually know what they are talking about.

Hey bud. There's no shortage of Push/Pull standard "bodybuilding" programs, but yes you could also use rope and people as your weight at a local Crossfit "box". I think Crossfit, at this point, is "overbought" as they say on Wall Street, but it of course can be used effectively as well (like any program) depending on your nutrition, intensity, dedication, genetics, etc.

I haven't tried crossfit because I keep hearing about how crossfit encourages poor form from their competitions that lead to injuries and Rhabdomyolysis (muscles poisoning your blood) from overtraining. I know a lot of people swear by crossfit so go for it but I will be sticking to normal lifting and cardio. My gym membership is $20 a month instead of $150 and I am in amazing shape. Benching 300 lbs and 9% body fat.

I'm talking about generic Crossfitters, not YouTube sensations I have been to 8 gyms in my area and have not seen more than 2 people that look "ripped". I think you missed the point of this topic. I'm simply looking from advice from people who have done it and actually know what they are talking about.

Are there a lot of people doing "generic" anything that look ripped (and I'm not talking about the genetic freaks and steroid users)? If so, please share with us what they're doing. What are the 8 gyms that you didn't see more than 2 ripped people at and what are the ripped gyms that you're comparing them to?

Coincidentally, I was looking for advice and info on Crossfit too after I saw someone get ripped on it, so we share the same purpose, and it was in so doing that I came across your thread. Sorry about my undiplomatic response. What I found here was the opposite of what I expected and I was thrown for a loop by it. I'm glad that it inspired you to explain what you meant and provide some info. I'd be interested in more explanation, if you don't mind, and reports about how Crossfit works out for you, now that you're trying it.

You're the first person I've seen focus on alleged unripped appearance of Crossfitters since I came across it on the Internet years ago and saw/heard it discussed by Robb Wolf, the Crossfit forum, and various other forums, blogs and podcasts. Ironically, there's even a Crossfit gym called "Crossfit Ripped" (http://www.crossfitripped.com/). Perhaps what you mean is that the Crossfit focus isn't only on getting super-ripped and building muscle bulk, like a gym that focuses on little or nothing besides free weights, but more all-round fitness? The reports I've seen on Crossfit have tended to be more along the lines of what JonBhoy and PaleoDavid reported, and it fits with not only the Crossfit Games videos, but also the other videos that show the Crossfit gym members doing routines. The main criticisms I've heard are the sorts of things that Cave Man Wayne and PaleoDavid mentioned - that the routines are extreme, the risk of injury is high, the Crossfitters are mostly already ripped before they start it and thus that it is not for beginners. That does make some sense to me, because I rarely see anyone in the Crossfit gym videos who looks terribly out of shape, such as very obese, like what one would see at an ordinary gym with weight machines, aerobics, pool, etc. There seems to be some self-selection going on.

My interest in Crossfit increased when my nephew did Crossfit for a short time, before he got a job in a different area and switched to a closer gym, and he quickly got much more ripped and stronger than he's ever been, but he did start out stronger and more muscled than me. There isn't room in my budget for a gym membership right now, but it did pique my interest and I'm thinking I might try it in the future. However, the concerns about injury risk that Cave Man Wayne, Robb Wolf and others have expressed do give me pause. Input from Crossfitters on this would be welcome. I'm thinking that by the time I try it in the future they may have worked some of those kinks out, maybe they already have? I'm guessing also that not all Crossfit gyms are alike and some may do a better job of helping those who aren't already ripped.